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Misplaced post: generalization points made towards atheists

1. MattShizzle, you really should shave before posing for pictures. Beard stubble is very unbecoming, even when you have a smirk on your face.

2. You seem to be unaware that atheist socialists in China killed over 40,000,000 Chinese people in the 20th Century, far eclipsing all the "religious wars" you so sanctimoniously tout.

3. Likewise you seem to be unaware that atheist socialists in the USSR murdered, starved, and otherwise killed over 25,000,000 Soviet citizens, without any "war" being fought.

4. Cambodian atheists - 3,000,000

5. Rwandan atheists - 800,000

Shall we continue the count, Matt?

And how many dead were there in the 20th century from "religious wars"?

[MOD NOTE: This post was originally made in a completely unrelated forum about Dawkins. The original poster seems to be addressing Matt Shizzle however Matt Shizzle said nothing other than, "I read "The God Delusion" last week. Awesome book. He'd be a great guest by the way."]

1. Wow, that's... kind of mean. If Matt wants a moustache that's cool by me. And I thought he was smiling, not smirking....
Mean people suck!

2. "...the majority of the atrocities were due to a combination of blind application of Marxist or communist doctrines and the complete intolerance of dissent. Of course the first to go were the people who own any form of capital."

"In these cases, the reasons for these deaths are obvious. The idea that individual ownership of capital is evil caused many of the landlords to be murdered. Then the belief that collectivization would solve the problems of famine in the country actually exacerbated it. Finally intolerance of opposing views, or of people who were deemed capable of holding opposing views, resulted in the execution of many "intellectuals". These were heinous crimes - but communism and despotism, not atheism, were to blame."*

3. "The Khmer Rouge also classified by religion and ethnic group. They abolished all religion and dispersed minority groups, forbidding them to speak their languages or to practise their customs. These policies had been implemented in less severe forms for many years previous to the Khmer Rouge taking power."

"People who were discovered praying or expressing religious sentiments were often killed. The Christian and Muslim communities also were even more persecuted, as they were labelled as part of a pro-Western cosmopolitan sphere, hindering Cambodian culture and society. The Roman Catholic cathedral of Phnom Penh was completely razed. The Khmer Rouge forced Muslims to eat pork, which they regard as an abomination (ḥarām). Many of those who refused were killed. Christian clergy and Muslim imams were executed."

This was done for power. It was to undermine the people. It wasn't done in the name of atheism.... It was done in the name of Pot's political ideas. That he followed as zealously as a religion. Regardless, I wouldn't want to live in a world like this, and I don't know any atheists who do.

4. "During the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, United Nations peacekeepers stepped back as Hutu extremists killed hundreds of thousands of Tutsis, as well as moderate Hutu politicans. Many Twa also died in the fighting." The Hutsu - Religion - Catholicism, Protestantism, Sunni Islam, indigenous beliefs

Are we seriously discussing scores? Like, "Christianity killed less people = so it's right"?
"Atheists killed more people = so religion is better"?
No matter whether religion or atheism has killed more people is the killing ever justified? Does one side win? What does this prove? The fact is there ARE religious wars going on RIGHT now! The fact is, I've never heard of anyone killing someone based SOLELY on the belief that there are no gods.
Like, "Hey man, I just realized god isn't real! Maybe I'll go kill a person now!" or "Wow, I just realized god isn't real! I'm gonna committ genocide!"

I see GlamourKat has already ripped this bad argument to pieces.... but I'll quickly reinforce her points:

Quote:

. MattShizzle, you really should shave before posing for pictures. Beard stubble is very unbecoming, even when you have a smirk on your face.

2. You seem to be unaware that atheist socialists in China killed over 40,000,000 Chinese people in the 20th Century, far eclipsing all the "religious wars" you so sanctimoniously tout.

Ah, this old inane argument.

Let's tear it to pieces with just one question.

Did they kill in the name of atheism?

No.

The end.

Now, let's beat the dead horse into the ground.

Even if your claim were valid, your argument would commit a tuo quoque fallacy..... saying "yes, we're bad, but you're just as bad" doesn't solve your own problem.

Quote:

3. Likewise you seem to be unaware that atheist socialists in the USSR murdered, starved, and otherwise killed over 25,000,000 Soviet citizens, without any "war" being fought.

Again, your argument commits the fallacy of accident and insignificance.

Here, let me demonstrate it for you.

"Likewise you seem to be unaware that people who wear pants in the USSR murdered, starved, and otherwise killed over 25,000,000 soviet citizens without any war being fought."

Ergo, using your logic, wearing pants is evil, and leads to mass murder.

Here's the flaw in your argument: You have to demonstrate that it was their atheism that was the cause of the murders. You have to demonstrate where they do this killing in the name of atheism, and not communism or lenninism or stalinism, etc.

But of course, you can't do that, because atheism had no significant role in any of these actions.

Please don't waste our time with arguments this bad. Take five seconds and think instead. Saves time.

I want to also warn paucoremhominem, that personal attacks and antagonism violate board rules. Please refrain.

I agree, it's just we're so short of theist visitors, and he does more damage to himself then anyone else with his style of condescension, I just assumed to overlook it. Nevertheless, if he gets out of control feel free to put a stop to it. Keep your mod hand strong, bitch. (Shizzle will get that one)

Yeah, we definitely need some more theists. Everybody's chomping at the bit for any half-sane argument. Anybody ever look in Sam Harris' forum? Maybe there are some over there who don't know about these boards.

Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin